Good morning! Today we’re going to dive deep into the weeds of project-car land, a place I know some of you aren’t comfortable. But variety is the spice of life, right?
Yesterday, I may have screwed up. It was pointed out to me that the Lexus is not, in fact, a 1998 model, as the ad states; it’s the older first-generation LS400, which makes it a 1994 at the newest. In my defense, they look damn near the same. But I should have checked. I forgot the number-one rule: Never trust the liv-I mean, the seller. That “mistake” throws the whole ad into question; if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Legit or not, I’m going against the overwhelming majority of votes and taking the Mercedes. I’m not a fan of the perfected-to-death Toyota/Lexus feel, as reliable and durable as the cars may be. To me, this is the choice between a really good steak dinner and a really good salad. Of course, I know which one is better for me. But I also know which one is more satisfying.
All right then. Let’s brush away some cobwebs and reserve a U-Haul trailer; it’s time for a couple of project cars.
1967 Lotus Europa S1a with extra chassis – $4,000
Engine/drivetrain: 1.5-liter overhead valve inline 4, four-speed manual, RWD
Location: Olympia, WA
Odometer reading: 68,000 miles
Operational status: Disassembled, in need of total restoration
I can’t think of another car company as shrouded in legend and mythology as Lotus. Its cars are barely cars at all, ephemeral wisps of the bare minimum amount of structure and bodywork necessary to send a tiny engine and a lone driver around a race track, or down a country road, as quickly as possible. Everyone knows Lotus cars are fragile, unreliable, and absolute death traps in any sort of accident, yet everyone wants one. Most of us have never actually driven a Lotus, but we all know how wonderful they are to drive.
The Europa, if you’re not familiar with it, is a mid-engine car, featuring a steel backbone chassis and a fiberglass body. Its engine and gearbox come from Renault, a 1.5 liter pushrod four and a four-speed manual, specifically chosen by Colin Chapman to fit within the Europa’s frame. This is a Series 1a Europa, which added luxury features such as removable side windows and exterior door handles not included on the very earliest cars.
One quirk of the early Europas was that the steel frame was molded into the fiberglass body, making it all one unit, great for stiffness but a nightmare to repair. The Series 2 cars switched to a bolt-on frame. This package deal seems to include a separate frame, which must be from a Series 2 car. You could probably plop the body onto it, but you’d have to cut out the existing frame to make it all work. You’d have to inspect everything to see what the best course of action would be.
The car itself has no engine in it, but the spare chassis does, and the seller says lots of other parts come with the deal, including at least one more engine from the looks of it. And speaking of looks, the Europa is not one of Lotus’s prettier designs. Personally, I like it, but I know a lot of people don’t. You can pretty much guarantee you won’t see another one, though; Lotus only built a few hundred Series 1 Europas.
1982 Chevrolet K5 Blazer with 1984 parts car – $4,000
Engine/drivetrain: 350 cubic inch overhead valve V8, four-speed automatic, part-time 4WD
Location: San Francisco, CA
Odometer reading: unknown
Operational status: Starts and runs, unknown beyond that
If featherweight sports cars aren’t your thing, how about a big chunk of Detroit steel? Chevy’s K5 Blazer was General Motors’s answer to the Ford Bronco and the International-Harvester Scout. But instead of a unique design, GM based the Blazer (and identical GMC Jimmy) on its full-size truck platform.
This Blazer sits a little taller than stock, with a few inches of lift in its suspension and some gnarly tires. It also sports a rather interesting custom paint job. I’m guessing from the deer-and-bear logo thingy on the door that this was someone’s hunting rig. We don’t know what engine is under this truck’s camo-painted hood, but I’m guessing it’s a 350. The ad says it’s a replacement crate engine, and I can’t imagine anyone bothering with a crate 305. The only thing we know about its mechanical condition is that it starts and runs. That’s something, I guess.
It’s rusty outside, and rough inside, but it looks like it’s all there. The good news is that “squarebody” Chevy trucks are popular enough to have a whole cottage industry of restoration parts available. The bad news is that you’ll be setting your credit card on fire ordering everything this one needs.
But wait – there’s more! Act now and you’ll get a second 1984 Blazer absolutely free! It’s every bit as rusty outside, and the seller says it “needs a new engine,” but the interior looks a little better, so it may be good for some parts.
Either one of these choices is going to require a lot of time, skill, patience, and space to turn into a functional vehicle that you’d be proud to show off. To tackle a project like one of these, you have to really love the subject matter, or else you’ll run out of gumption and never finish. Hypothetically, though, if you were possessed of the skill and desire, which one would you take on?
(Image credits: Craigslist sellers)
Hey Mark if you are going to compare yesterdays cars to salad and steak can we at least agree the steak got dropped on the floor and then the dog got it before you wrestled it away? But never drove a Lotus but I have driven a Jensen Healey with the 907 Lotus motor in it. That was the same theory powerful 16 valve 4 cyl lotus with a light weight body. It would hit 100mph on a smooth road and you wouldn’t think you are going 70mph. But if I’m going to have a neglected project in my garage I want the exotic and small Lotus over a turd truck. I know how hunters treat their hunting vehicles.
I probably won’t fit into the Lotus, but the look of it amuses me. Plus it’s smog exempt. The Blazer is not, and would cost a mint in gasoline. I’m not an off-roader, so no thanks. If it were eleven or twelve years older, I’d go for it. I want the full-convertible roof.
I voted Lotus because one of my first Matchbox cars was a blue Lotus Europa and I’m a fan of Rob Siegal “The Hack Mechanic” on Hagerty.com although he has the far more desirable Twin Cam
My first trip over 120 mph was in a Europa. Have to vote for this HUGE project.
I’ll go for the Lotus, because I don’t want a working Blazer let alone a project one.
I have known several guys who have tried something similar to this with old blazers, full-sized Cherokees and broncos. The results have been awful for the street but end up decent trail-only rigs.
That Blazer is repellant to me, so I’ll go Europa for the sake of the poll, though if I wanted one, I’d get an S2 in good condition (with all its parts!). Could have bought one years ago from a friend, but declined to keep the money for restoring my mk1 Legacy (which never happened). The Lotus was used by Wabasto (I think) to prototype a canvas sunroof. I don’t know if it made production or not. He claimed it didn’t leak, but he also built a Birkin, so our tolerances of leaks might have varied widely. Amazingly roomy for such a tiny rollerskate. Nowadays, a car would be double the size, triple the weight, and still be more cramped.
The Europa (x2) is weird but intriguing – problem I’m seeing is one of scarcity. No idea what these things are missing between the two of them, but one clearly has been gutted from the dashboard out. Where you gonna find stuff like that? You probably arent.
The Blazer (x2) is pretty much ass all around, but at least I could be reasonably well assured that I’d be able to go to one of the junkyards around me and be able to find most of what would be needed to make one of them passable (as long as the insides don’t smell like deer camp – which they probably do)
But if you bought everything you need it would cost more than a new one.
These are both so far out of my realm of skills it doesn’t even matter. I might have a chance at getting the K5 running again, so I’ll go with that.
Gonna go with add lightness to my pretend wallet.
I knew someone who had one of these in very good condition. Never the less, he lost reverse in the gearbox. He said he didn’t want to bother rebuilding it. If he needed to change direction he would just lift the front and rotate the car.
BlazerX2 means a good foundation for a full size trail rig, and cutting body work away is not a huge issue if it is already that rusty.
Also K5 Blazers will always be more desirable than that Lotus abomination. Not that I would not at least consider the Pug dog of sports cars. I do have a soft spot for odd ball questionable quality vehicles, but I don’t want those 2 enough to want to try to make one usable.
15 or 16 years ago I had a neighbor with a Europa that I’d occasionally spot running around on my evening commute home. It’s a weird little thing for sure, and it’s exactly what I need in my life.
Since this is just Fantasyland, I’m all-in on the Lotus Europa: just because it was one of my first & most favorite Matchbox cars.
The Blazer has been parked in that spot since at least May 2021. That’s not too a long a sit when it comes to project cars, but does make you wonder why it was left at the shop.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/MPVs41WBzk48guLY6
The fate of that Impala SS, though….
Anyone who has had the pleasure of going to the Cleveland Auto Show may have run into the Europa that’s always in the classic car display. The owner seems to have a real complex about the car, because there’s always signs around it basically trying to explain hp/weight ratios to people and implying they’re too stupid to understand how awesome the car is. Maybe the muscle car boomers make fun of him or something.
It’s the difference between a sportscar and a muscle car. That Lotus would make a good base for a custom sportscar. Redo the body and frame and slap a LS motor or find a body damaged Corvette and put the lotus body on it or just a C4 Vette because the Lotus as is looks better than a C4
I would vote for the Europa,but the Chevy looks like something that I actually could see myself finish eventually so that is my choice.
The Lotus is virtually unobtainium, so unfortunately I’m going for the Blazer today.
I still voted Europa. I could use another chassis and the new ones are $3000 from the UK.
For everyone else though – the lack of windshield is a deal breaker! They do not exist. The main importer went out of business in 2020. RD Enterprises has a couple. The cheapest ones are $750.
$750 is not all that much in the world of “I need this to finish it”.
I picked the Lotus because I’ve always wanted to do a full custom interior on a classic car. My own seats, carpets, steering wheel, gauges, switchgear, foams, padding, upholstery, headliner and door cards.
For some, that’s the biggest nightmare. Sourcing all those original bits and fabrics and surfaces…
But that Lotus is gone enough that I wouldn’t even try to keep it original, other than the box of parts I’d save.
Okay, hear me out: Lotus Europa body on a K5 Blazer chassis.
“project cars” ? I ain’t got no time for that! 😉
I’ll take the 4K and buy TWO Cavalier Convertibles instead. 🙂
The Matchbox Europa was one of my favorites as a kid. As an adult, I learned that the Europa is smaller than a Tomorrowland Speedway car and I would look like Chris Farley in David Spade’s coat trying to get into it.
Also, if the body of the S1 is bonded to the frame, then I want no part of trying to separate the two. Probably why it is being sold.
So, somewhat reluctantly, I’m going for the K-Pop 5.
I don’t want either as is. The Lotus is more interesting. And my wife and kids will curse me as they have to haul it out of the garage after I die. Win win!
The Blazer is going to be far cheaper, easier, and faster to have something you want to be in.
And if you’re not a purist, so many rabbit holes you can go down for replacement parts & upgrades, rather than worrying about keeping it aligned as a K5.
Going with the Lotus because the still-incomplete shell will be easier for my kids to remove from the garage after I die
Lotus – I’m never getting either of these running again, I’ll take the one that looks cooler on blocks and takes up less room
That is the way to think